The disgraced movie mogul's attorney, in the meantime, tells the court his client is struggling with his confinement at the Twin Towers jail in Los Angeles, likening it to 'solitary confinement.'
- September 21, 2021
AceShowbiz - Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of rape and sexual assault for a second time.
The jailed producer offered up the same plea back in July when the charges were first presented, after he was extradited to Los Angeles from his prison home in New York.
The charges were tossed due to statute of limitations issues, but prosecutors saw fit to bring a new indictment against Weinstein last month (August 2021), and this was presented in court on Monday, September 20.
Wearing a brown jail jumpsuit and a mask, wheelchair-bound Weinstein agreed to waive trial deadlines as he made it clear he wasn't going to plead guilty to the sex crimes.
Meanwhile, the Oscar winner's attorney, Mark Werksman, told the court his client is struggling with his confinement at the Twin Towers jail in Los Angeles, which he likened to "solitary confinement."
"He can't walk and he can't see," Werksman added.
"We intend to challenge the contents of this indictment, as well as an effort by the prosecution to introduce evidence of other uncharged alleged victims in this case," Werksman told reporters outside court following the hearing. "We're going to try like hell to make sure he gets a fair trial, but it's tough. It's tough, especially when you have the people, as I mentioned, basically training a water cannon of uncharged allegations at him."
He added, "They're trying to throw everything, including the kitchen sink, at him, and we're trying to limit the evidence that's presented so that it's fair, so that it's admissible and so that Mr. Weinstein can get a fair trial, but that's a challenge."
Prosecutors filed a motion on Monday asking the court to allow several Weinstein accusers to testify at trial in support of the five women whose claims pertain to the 11 counts against the producer. The motion was filed under seal.
Werksman countered, accusing the District Attorney and his officials of "opening up a water cannon of allegations against Mr. Weinstein through numerous uncharged alleged victims."
Werksman has also filed a motion to dismiss the entire case. A hearing is set for December 8.
